Page 13 of Caged

“If only,” I growl under my breath.

It may be deliberate, but there are no sharp objects I can access. It seems unlikely Ixor sees me as a threat. He’s probably more concerned at being discovered and any accessible weapon being used against him.

“Human!” Ixor roars from the other room. “Get in here!”

I slope into his presence. I have no reason to be nice to him, other than to gain a scrap of food or avoid his fists. My side still aches from earlier.

“What?”

He looks me up and down. “Put something else on, something nice. I have another task for you.”

“I don’t have anything else to wear,” I reply, staring at the floor.

He grunts. “Well, he didn’t dislike you in that outfit, so it’ll have to do. I don’t have the credits to clothe a slave.”

Such a lie. Ixor has plenty of credits, he’s just cheap.

“Do what?” I ask, still looking at the floor because if I look at him, I will say something I regret.

“You’re going back to the dome, to see the gladiator again.”

I do look up at him. “Why?”

“Because you’re going to persuade him to act as our personal guide in the dome so I can get where I need to be.”

“I met him for all of about twenty seconds,” I spit out, fists balling up. “What makes you think he’ll help me or you?”

“Gryn are simple creatures.” Ixor leans back on the bed, scratching his belly. “They fight, they mate. And when they choose a mate, she stays chosen.”

Logic seems to be slipping away from me. None of this makes any sense.

“He thinks I’m his…mate?”

“If his vitals are anything to go by, yes. Unless there are more females in the dome we don’t know about,” Ixor says darkly. “I’ve confirmed there are not. Any such activities for the gladiators take place at a specially constructed pleasure house.”

My head spins. “Activities?”

Ixor leers. “I’m sure he won’t expect such things from you…immediately.”

Ixor thinks Sylas believes I’m his mate. I’ve heard about mates from Ginka. She says she had one, but he was killed when her planet was stolen by another species. The concept of the mate was alien to me as a human, but Ginka explained it is common among many species. A cross between marriage andfinding “the one,” it seems like a strange way of getting together. But at the same time, kind of romantic, until now.

Until I’m faced with a seven foot plus behemoth of violence and feather who’d surely eat me as soon as look at me? Not so romantic, and not something I want, at all.

“What…” My breath hitches. “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to do exactly what you did last time.” Ixor smiles, showing his yellow teeth. “And I want you to get him to trust you. Then bring him to me.”

SYLAS

The procurator is behind a large desk studying a handheld screen when I enter, guard on either side, manipulating the neck restraints. My wings are also bound at the shoulder, as are my wrists. It seems he’s taking no chances with me today.

Good.

Disposing of an innocent creature like the ziggurag has settled in my stomach like sour meat. I would happily kill anything else presented to me, providing that thing was there of its own volition.

“You have a debt to pay, gladiator,” he says without looking up at me. “It’s a debt owed in blood but also credits.”

He puts down the screen and clasps his hands together, his blank green eyes studying me. This is a lecture I’ve heard a hundred times.

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